ABSTRACT
Japan has one of the most robust civil societies in the world. The structure and norms of Japan’s civil society are a combination of social and organizational forms that emerged during the early modern period in response to the pressures of industrialization and urbanization, as well as newer forms that were modelled after those found in Western democracies. The most striking features of contemporary civil society in Japan are its size, diversity and the increasing use of new technologies to facilitate both grassroots organizing and enabling local groups to connect to like-minded organizations abroad.
